


Second Star- Peter Pan Conspiracies

by TigerLilyWarrior



Category: Original Work, Peter Pan - J. M. Barrie
Genre: Book Evaluation, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-17
Updated: 2016-10-17
Packaged: 2018-08-22 23:59:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8306080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TigerLilyWarrior/pseuds/TigerLilyWarrior





	

The Second Star- Peter Pan Book Report

Peter Pan. That name may bring thoughts of fairytales, eternal youth, and children’s stories.

But Peter Pan in fact, is not a children’s story.

He was quite a dark character originally, believed by Mrs. Darling to carry the souls of children to heaven so that they not be frightened.

Our Story begins set in London, around the late 1800s. Mr. and Mrs. Darling are preparing to leave for a party as Mrs. Darling tucks the children in for bed. But as she does this, she begins to notice the children’s dreams. A strange figure, with a strange name kept arising in her children’s thoughts. 

The legend of Peter Pan was not unfamiliar to Mrs. Darling. Over the years she had heard many stories of a mythical figure who guides the souls of lost children to heaven. Worried for her children’s safety she later asks her eldest child, Wendy, about the dark being. It was then that Wendy introduced Peter’s Shadow to our tale, telling her mother that he must come back for it.

Mrs. Darling expressed her great reluctance to attend the party later that evening, but with much persistence Mr. Darling assured her of the children’s safety with the maid.

Many hours later, when all light had gone from the sky, our main character arrives; coming back to reclaim his shadow.

At first Peter arrives silently with his faerie Tinkerbell, and they begin searching for his mischievous shadow, which Wendy has hidden in a drawer. Finding his shadow after Tinkerbell became locked in the drawer,  Peter attempted to reattach it. Finding the incapability to complete the task, he began to cry.

Peter cried and cried until he woke Wendy. Seeing the source of the boy’s distress, she sewed the shadow back on; discovering who Peter Pan is and the story behind him. As they talked Peter revealed to her the origins of faeries, Neverland, and the ability to fly. Thankful for the information, Wendy decided to repay him with a kiss. 

But Peter did not know of kisses, and presented his hand to her to accept the kiss. So as not to hurt his feelings, Wendy gave him a thimble; Peter then, in kind, gave Wendy a button. 

Later, after talk of storytelling and Wendy’s wishes to never grow old, Wendy offers to give Peter a thimble, Peter agrees and Wendy kisses him. But when Peter tries to return the favour, Tinkerbell pulls Wendy’s hair, for the little faerie despised the foolish Wendy. 

While talking, Peter discovers Wendy’s love for storytelling, and offers to take her to Neverland. 

Now, at the beginning of our story Mrs. Darling expressed her concern to Wendy of the spirit boy, from a strange world, who would snatch Wendy from her mother. But alas, Wendy did not listen. She asked Peter if her brothers might come too. Reluctantly, Peter agreed. 

Now, there is only one way to get to Neverland. You must learn to fly.  At the news that Peter would teach the Darling Children to fly, Wendy ran to wake her brothers, who were still asleep in the nursery.

John and Michael Darling were the two youngest Darling children, and being such, they constantly bickered. Michael, the baby, constantly tried to keep up with John, who always wished to be an english gentleman. Many days had been spent sword fighting in the nursery, playing as the fearless Injuns and dreaded Pirates. 

First Wendy woke John, and John rudely woke Michael by shaking him. 

Peter Pan stood waiting patiently as this whole scenario played out. When the Darlings had prepared themselves, Peter began to teach them the simple, happy process of flight.

At first Peter laughed at the Darlings for the inability to do something so simple in his mind. He explained that they merely needed to think a happy thought and have a sprinkle of pixie dust. After a bit of practice, John suggested that the children go out; not with a moment to lose, as Mr. and Mrs. Darling of the quiet residence in Kensington Gardens returned home from their late night party to find the children gone, and the window open.

To the Darling children it felt like days of flying. John felt quite certain the journey was long, for he claimed to have studied stars. As the nights met days, and days to nights, at long last Peter Pan declared them there; the second star to the right, Neverland.

Now, you too have seen Neverland; for it is the place you go when asleep. White sandy beaches line the coast, where the fearsome Pirates lurk. Injuns, Lost Boys, Mermaids, and the Crocodile all roam the island, all hunting each other. 

Now, everyone’s Neverland is different, based on what one most wants; so when John arrived he saw Pirates, while Michael saw his little boat, and Wendy saw the lagoon.

Unfortunately the children were only granted a passing moment to absorb the beauty of The Neverland, for the light of Tinkerbell had drawn the unwanted attention of the Pirates, led by their maniacal leader Captain Hook.  The Captain fired upon them with his mighty weapon, the Long Tom, sending the group scattering into the night.. John and Michael, having lost their guide, were forced to make their way to Neverland themselves. 

Poor, foolish Wendy thought she could trust the mischievous faerie Tinkerbell. Oh Tinkerbell lead her to Neverland, and delivered her right into the hands of the Lost Boys.

The Lost Boys were always quite the bunch, trying their best to please Peter as they did, for it was Peter Pan who led them here, to serve under him in all his adventures. Having been in Neverland so long, takes its toll, for while one might never age, they might also lose their memories, and thus none of our beloved Lost Boys could remember anything of mothers, families, or where they had come from. Perhaps this is why they believed Tinkerbell. The evil faerie told the Lost Boys that Peter wanted them to shoot Wendy, who they believed was a bird. Tootles --one of the youngest Lost Boys-- took the shot, while Tinkerbell watched from the trees. 

Upon seeing that this was no bird, the Lost Boys hid Wendy from Peter. They eventually revealed her to Peter, who demanded the head of the bowman that shot Wendy. Bravely, Tootles stepped forward, acknowledging his fate. But when Peter Pan tried to strike, he found something stayed his hand. Alas, it was Wendy, who was saved by the kiss that took the form of a button, hanging from her neck. 

John and Michael arrived minutes later, but Peter had already forgotten them. This is perhaps our first hint of Peter’s true nature. 

As Wendy woke up the Lost Boys began to beg her to be their mother. Naturally, Wendy agreed. 

Days turned to weeks, and the Lost Boys would have adventures fighting against Captain Hook and his crew of miscreants, which Wendy was never permitted to attend. Wendy did not mind though, she rather liked the quiet of the house. On one particular day, after the Lost Boys had returned, the air was electric with unsettling energy that left everyone nervous. Peter was particularly on edge from the Lost Boys complaints of hunger, from not being fed for days prior. It was in this time that Captain Hook planned his attack. 

Captain Hook and Peter Pan’s relationship was not one of Evil versus Good. Battle lines in our lives are always blurred, just as they are here. Hook represents what adults may become, a worse version of their younger selves, making Peter despise him. To Hook, Peter is everything Hook wants to be, but can never have. Peter is Joy, Happiness, Laughter, and Innocence. Hate for each other brewed their anger. Neither was evil, just opposite, which left them doomed to fight for all eternity. 

Captain Hook led his crew over the Lost Boys’ house. Quietly the boys waited for the danger to pass. As the crew passed over the house Hook’s first mate- Smee -noticed curling smoke rising from a mushroom, tipping the crew off about Peter Pan’s secret hideout. Vowing to return at the proper time, Hook slipped into the darkness. 

Every day Wendy took the Lost Boys to the Mermaid Lagoon. Moons and moons ago the Sirens of Neverland claimed the magical surf and rocks as their own. Here, they lured many Pirates to their deaths. But the mermaids never could lure Peter, for Peter had never the need for the mermaids; he taught the Lost Boys how to avoid the mythical Sirens’ Song. The Lost Boys would wait until the mermaids would come out to play sport with air bubbles they would form water and scales. When the Lost Boys saw that they had started their game, they would scare away the mermaids, and begin playing themselves. John invented a new way to play the sport, introducing the ability to hit the ball with only their heads; this is the only remnant of John left in Neverland. 

On the shores of the Lagoon, the Lost Children enjoyed the many stories Wendy told. One day, while swimming at the lagoon, a coldness creeped over and darkness enveloped the water. Captain Hook was coming, and Peter knew it. While the Lost Boys retreated to the sanctuary of their hideout, Peter and Wendy stayed behind, for Wendy could neither swim nor fly. They watched as Smee placed the Injun Chief's daughter- Princess Tigerlily- on Marooners Rock to die. Now we see another one of Peter Pan’s mythical traits. From across the water Peter called out in Captain Hook’s voice, instructing Smee to free her. Hook later discovered Peter’s trickery, and a fight commenced. Peter Pan was wounded in this fight, and as he lay wounded he tied a kite to Wendy, so that she might fly away and live. And as the tendrils of cold water threatened to swell over him, Peter Pan uttered one of the most well known lines in the story, “To die would be an awfully big adventure.”

Wendy worried for Peter, but alas, he returned bringing news.  Ever grateful for her release, Tigerlily declared her tribe Peter Pan’s ally. When asked if he knew why Tigerlily had befriended him, Peter merely shrugged, for he could not remember. Later that night, after the Lost Boys were snug in their animal skin beds, Wendy had a query for Peter which she quietly asked; she asked Peter if he loved her, to which Peter Pan replied that he only loved her in the way one loves a mother. Heartbroken, Wendy went to the far end of the room where she shrunk into herself. 

When she woke, Wendy was greeted by the Lost Boys’ demand for a story. Not in the mood to create one, Wendy told them the story of Wendy, John, and Michael. As she told the story of the nursery, and Mr. and Mrs. Darling, she watched in dismay as neither John nor Michael could recall their lives prior to life in Neverland. At learning this she demanded that they return home at once. Upon 

 

her bold statement the Lost Boys made plans to hold her captive with them forever, but it was brave Tootles who stood up and threatened anyone who was to lay a hand on Wendy. Wendy invited all the Lost Boys to come and live with the Darlings in Kensington Gardens, to which they begged Peter to let them; but Peter’s mind was elsewhere, having learned that Wendy wished not to stay with him.  Peter was a stubborn child, and wished not to show his sadness at Wendy’s absence. He told the Lost Boys and Wendy to leave. 

They did not get far, however, for Captain Hook was waiting for them above the Hideout. The Pirates snatched away the Lost Boys, Wendy, John, and Michael. Captain Hook slipped into the hideout, where Peter had fallen asleep. Silently, Hook pulled dark red poison out of his coat pocket, and dropped it into Peter’s cup. Coming back out of the door from which he entered, Captain Hook signaled for his crew to follow, with Lost Boy cargo in tow. 

Peter awoke with a start from a nightmare; a dream in which Hook had won, and taken Wendy. Seeing his medicine waiting for him on the bedside table, he remembered Wendy’s words telling him to remember to take his medicine. Reaching for the unpleasant liquid, Peter thought of how proud Wendy would be, if she was still with him. As Peter went to drink the medicine, Tinkerbell intervened, drinking every last drop. Peter was very confused at Tinkerbell’s strange actions. As Tinkerbell fell to the floor, Peter realised that his medicine had been poisoned.

After saving Tinkerbell, Peter made his solemn vow in which he swore, “Hook or me this time.”

Wendy vowed not to be scared for the sake of her Lost Children, as she stood on the hard, rough wood of the plank she would soon be walking to her imminent demise. Hook laughed as the Lost Boys’ wails of sorrow and worry for their mother filled the air. Just as she was about to step off the plank, there came a loud crow erupting from the water. It was Peter, who was out for revenge. He had returned, with Tigerlily. Together they freed the Lost Boys and Wendy, and thus the most bloody battle Neverland had ever seen commenced. Many casualties were lost from both sides. Beloved Tootles was lost , having struggled most bravely against the worst pirate in the crew, Starkey. To this day, Tootles is still honored by the Lost Boys for having been the bravest. The battle drew on until finally our lovely friend, The Crocodile, decided to pay a visit. Peter Pan threw Captain Hook to the Crocodile, where he was torn to shreds. Thus Captain James Hook relinquished his life. A mighty roar of victory tore through the Lost Boys, and with that, they sailed back to the mainland.

Now we must return and see the affects our journey has taken. Poor Mrs. Darling has never stopped crying from the moment her dearests left. Every night she would sit in the nursery and play the piano, pretending her children were still with her. 

Peter and Tinkerbell flew up to the seemingly plain window where our journey began. Peter could not let go of Wendy, and so planned to bar the window so that Wendy would believe that her mother did not want her anymore. It was then that Peter noticed the tears of sorrow coming from Mrs. Darling and could not bear to hear such sadness, for he knew how it felt.  In great reluctance, he unbarred the window, and flew away just in time for Wendy and her brothers to return. 

Words alone could not describe the happy scene that followed. Wendy introduced the Lost Boys to Mr. and Mrs. Darling, who, in turn, took them in, and cared for each one until they grew up. 

Peter vowed that he would return every spring-cleaning time for Wendy to take her to the Neverland. Wendy enjoyed the stories of adventure Peter would tell, but alas, over time Wendy noticed Peter’s memory beginning to slip, and one by one he forgot these stories of their adventures through neverland.  First went Captain Hook, followed by the original Lost Boys, then Michael and John, and finally Tinkerbell. Peter kept his oath to return for the first few years, but eventually, Peter even forgot Wendy Moira Angela Darling. 

Peter Pan was neither good or evil. He was innocent. Perhaps this innocence is why he did the things he did. When our story began Peter was introduced as a fable found in the Darling children’s dreams, and throughout our story, he developed from the spirit of youth, to the spirit of darkness. Peter was always a bad influence, but the farther we go, the more he shows the true purpose of his character. The reader can interpret the tale of Peter Pan in many ways, but I believe this story teaches us the darkness that can come with growing old, as well as the dangers of remaining young. It teaches us to be careful of how we live. 


End file.
